


Way Down We Go

by GoldenAvenger02



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF Derek Hale, BAMF Kira Yukimura, Derek Hale & Kira Yukimura Friendship, Derek Hale is Not a Failwolf, Derek Hale is a God, F/M, FBI Agent Stiles Stilinski, Gen, Hurt Stiles Stilinski, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapped Stiles Stilinski, Kira Yukimura Returns, Kitsune Kira Yukimura, Post-Canon, Protective Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski & Kira Yukimura Friendship, Stiles Stilinski Is So Done, Stiles Stilinski is Missing, Werewolf Hunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:16:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29587116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenAvenger02/pseuds/GoldenAvenger02
Summary: They say we'll run you down, down 'til the dark/yes they will run you down, down 'til you fall.When Stiles is taken from his FBI truck and becomes a high profile missing person's case, Derek has to try and find him first before they find out about the supernatural.
Relationships: Derek Hale & Sheriff Stilinski, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Sheriff Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

Stiles' conscious started to slowly lift him from the darkness. He was quickly met with a sharp pain in both the back of his head and in his eyes, most likely a direct result from the obvious injury.

He tried to move his hand to feel for a bump or a gash, but he could barely move due to the fact his arms were suspended over his head.

'Think, Stiles. Think.' He told himself, trying to keep his breathing calm and quiet, in case his kidnappers were in the looming darkness around him, just waiting for him to wake up. He needed as much time as possible before he had no choice but to listen to a Bond style monologue 'What the hell happened to you?'

As he sorted through memories in his head from the past few months of his internship, fighting both the hunters and the Anuk-ite and Scott finding that kid, Alec, he finally started to remember.

•••

He had been driving one of the FBI vans, something about transporting a cannibalistic unsub. He honestly wanted as little details on as possible on the situation if it wasn't something like a Windego, he could only handle so much cannibalism at a time.

The GPS said he only had a few minutes till he arrived to the location where he was supposed to get out and let a different intern drive the unsub and the leading detective when he felt the tire explode under him, letting the wheel scrape across the road.

"Damn it." He muttered, pulling over onto the side of the road, the screeching noise getting louder as rubber flew behind him. He grabbed his radio off the side of the console and turned it on. "Dispatch, this is intern 187, the tire popped and I don't have a spare."

"10-4, we'll send another intern to get the unsub. Do you need a ride, intern 187?"

"I'll get an uber."

"10-4, intern 187."

"Over and out." Stiles turned off the radio and climbed out of the van, phone in hand with the flashlight on. In the hour he had been driving, the sun had completely disappeared behind the mountain range in the distance and his brain had already jumped to some sort of sabotage.

He really hoped that it was some very rough road or some sort of Lego a kid had dropped out a window that destroyed the tire, but he still needed to get a rough estimate of how much the damage was gonna doc from his pay.

Stiles shined the flashlight at the back wheel on the right, trying to get a good look at it. He wasn't even paying attention to what sounded like quiet, approaching footsteps until it felt like someone was breathing down his neck. But just as he was turning, something hard and heavy hit him in the back of the head and the last thing he remembered before his vision darkened was a silhouette.

•••

"Monroe." He said aloud as the same footsteps came into the small amount of light in front of him, revealing the huntress herself.

"Nice to see you again, Stiles."


	2. Chapter 2

10,000 dollar reward

Missing Person

Mieczyslaw "Stiles" Stilinski, most likely will respond to Stiles only.

5'10, 147 pounds, 19 years old. Male.

Dark brown hair, may appear black. Light brown eyes. Caucasian. Has multiple moles, small scars and freckles on his body. Large, jagged, circle shaped scar on his right shoulder.

Stiles was last seen driving a FBI transport through Virginia, wearing black boots, baggy black cargo pants, a white t-shirt and a blue FBI jacket with yellow text. The FBI transport was found with no sign of Stiles around.

Anyone with information on where Stiles is or who took him is urged to call the FBI tip line at 202-324-3000.

•••

"I need to speak to the sheriff." Derek insisted, speaking to the hellhound, who was currently manning the desk, most likely due to the latest supernatural disaster. "Is he here?"

"He got home from Virginia last night, he's still pretty jet lagged in his office. And you're supposed to call the FBI if you have information on Stiles." Parrish explained, still looking at his computer.

Derek leaned over to Parrish's face, whispering. "I don't know how I'll be able to explain to the FBI that I can track him by scent."

Derek watched Parrish sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes before standing up, leading him to the sheriff's office. He had a feeling that both Scott and Malia had come in with similar offers that were seemingly rejected.

"Sheriff." Derek could see just how rattled he was, his under eyes very dark and seemingly in need a shower, but the fear and stress was all that he could smell.

"Please tell me you have something." The sheriff pleaded as soon as Parrish closed the door. "Did you find him?"

"I have a lead." Derek insisted, pulling out the pictures he asked Argent to print out by the time he returned to Beacon Hills, putting them on the sheriff's desk. "These two men were caught on CCTV at the gas station fifteen minutes before Stiles came to fill up the transport. They work very closely with Monroe." He pulled out a second picture. "They were also seen at another gas station in New Mexico last night, near the desert where Kira was with the skinwalkers."

"We haven't seen any sign of Monroe since Scott saved Alec, although this is technically a sign. But Stiles is human, why would she take him?"

"Bait, most likely. She wants Scott dead, if she offered Stiles' life in exchange for his, she would get what she wants. Scott would give himself up."

"I made a good call not letting Scott and Malia go after him then." The sheriff muttered, examining the picture. "So what are you gonna do? You can't exactly report this to the FBI tip line."

"I'm gonna track him by scent."


	3. Chapter 3

As Stiles looked up, his captor was smiling. Not a friendly smile, of course. But he was not about to give her what she was after. "What's wrong? Couldn't get what you wanted out of the beating Scott gave you last time? Hungry for defeat again?"

"We don't have to be enemies, Stiles." Monroé insisted, squatting so she was looking him in the eyes. "You could join us. Be on the right side of history."

"Considering you're the one who kidnapped me and cuffed me to a support beam, I'm gonna have to pass. Thanks for the offer though."

"You don't get sick of the fact that you're constantly undermined by them? The human they keep around, for what? Why do you even stay with them?"

"Connection. You should try it sometime, drop the whole psychopath thing you've got going."

"For someone who works around killers, you'd think you'd know psychos from people who just want to feel safe again." She stood up, going over to the racks of weapons and started to wipe down a pistol, he couldn't place the model. "Then again, since your friends are the real psychos, I guess it might be hard for you."

Stiles swallowed, starting to pull against the cuffs, only to hear a slight chuckle come from Monroé. "But I shouldn't expect you to be able to pull away. You're just a kid. A kid who got roped into the wrong crowd and now you're on a spiraling downward path. Which is a shame, cause you would've been a very valuable asset."

"So why are you keeping me alive?" Stiles demanded, seething through his teeth. "Why don't you just kill me?"

"Isn't it obvious, Stiles? You're bait."

"My dad and Scott's parents won't let Scott leave college to come galavanting around Virginia."

"Two things." She insisted, going back to where they were eye level as she put the pistol in her side holster. "One, you're in New Mexico. And two, I know Scott will be hard to beat. That's why I'm going for those he surrounds himself with first. You're not bait for Scott. You're bait for Derek Hale."


	4. Chapter 4

Derek pulled the car to a stop just outside of the tunnels just outside of Albuquerque and a ten minute walk from the New Mexico base the Argents once resided in and where Monroé's hunters were now.

He grabbed the supplies that he had stock piled out of his truck and descended downward into the maze and found a small room near the middle which looked to be big enough to hold both of them as well as the supplies while keeping them out of sight if they were followed.

He made sure he had everything. Bottled water, non-persishable food, some pantry items, a few blankets, some clothes, a few changes of clothes, a first aid kit with additional supplies added by Melissa, a stun gun, a small pistol, a decent amount of ammunition and finally, a lighter. He had more then a hunch that they would both need the wolfsbane burned out of them once they escaped.

And with that, Derek started making his way to the other side of the cave, making sure to transform fully before he came out, getting ready to burst in with one goal in mind.

Save Stiles, no matter the cost.

He wasn't at all surprised when several hunters, at least eight, came out with Monroé in front, a gun aimed at his head. He growled and snapped his teeth, but she seemed to have zero reaction as she walked forward, the gun still aimed in between his eyes.

"Well, well, well. Just who we were waiting for."

"Than why didn't you come straight for me?" Derek demanded, his mind racing for some sort of reasoning that she would have. "Why did you take him?"

"Isn't it obvious, Derek?" She asked before adding, clearly seeing the confusion on his face. "Scott would've protected you, and as much as I want both of you dead, it's best to take out his allies first without him being in front of them."

But before Derek could process the information, that Stiles was taken to lure him away from Scott when they had assumed that Scott or Malia was the target, bullets started flying from all angles.

He dodged quickly, hearing the slight whistle near his ears as another bullet passed, and he kicked the legs out from a few hunters before grabbing Monroé by the shoulders and throwing her against the wall, resulting in her falling to the ground.

That's when he caught it. The nearly stench like scent that was Stiles, just behind the door that Monroé has been standing in front of.

He knocked another hunter out and broke the lock before busting into the room and he laid eyes on the nineteen year old with his arms suspended above his eyes and despite the deep cut on his temple, looked relatively unharmed as he muttered. "Derek?"

He ran over and broke the cuffs, looking Stiles in the eyes, which were full of relief and...hope. God knows what Monroé did. "I'm getting you out of here. How fast can you run?"

"Not." He snorted, and Derek had to hide a smirk as he thought to himself. 'Still sarcastic, that's good.' Before saying aloud.

"Payback for the pool incident, I'll guess."

"Hey, I saved your life." He protested as Derek pulled him to his feet, briefly looking for any injuries besides the cut and the deep marks that the metal cuffs left on his wrists before looking up into his eyes.

"And I'm saving you. Let's go."

Derek pushed the door open and started running, hearing Stiles' boots slam against the ground right behind him, seeing him keep up as the hunters started chasing them again. "Don't stop!"

When they turned a corner, he heard a grunt behind him, and he turned to see Stiles stumbling behind him, a hand pressed to his left clavicle. Derek turned and grabbed his right hand, pulling him back to his feet before sprinting again.

He felt a clip go into his leg, and he stumbled a bit, but the adrenaline kept him going out of the the base and down into the tunnels.

"You can't stay in there forever, Derek!" He heard Monroé shouted as more shots went off, but they had stopped running by now as they went deeper in.

Derek led the way towards the room while Stiles started panting, putting his right hand back against his collarbone. "W-why aren't they following us? Is this a safe place?"

"It's werewolf ground; they would use to protect themselves, the hunters swore that they would never step foot in here." Derek explained, seeing the room appear in view.

He stopped and sat Stiles down on the floor before handing him the lighter, which he accepted after taking his hand off of his chest, but before he could ask, Derek explained. "I'm gonna need you to do me a favor. Burn the wolfsbane out of my leg."

Stiles nodded and that's all Derek remembered before the fire was put against the wound and the purple wolfsbane bubbled to the surface.

The blistering pain hit him hard as he let out a cry of pain, but he refrained from screaming, the last thing he needed was to scare Stiles.

That's when he heard the lighter cap clip back on and Stiles breathe out a quiet "it's done."

Derek panted as Stiles out the lighter in his hand and he felt the wound start to stitch itself together before he looked Stiles in the eyes and said the words he didn't want to say.

"Good. Now I'm gonna need to do that to you."


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles' eyes flew wide open as he watched Derek grabbed the first aid kit and pull it closer. There was no way he was about to burn a wound that already felt like it was pounding against his shoulder

"Do this to m-me?" He stuttered, still worn out from the running and the pain as Derek pulled Stiles' tattered jacket and shirt off. If he was being honest, he barely remembered. "Why?!" I'm not a werewolf!"

"It can still hurt you." Derek spoke calmly while lowering Stiles onto his back. He could tell that Derek was panicking internally though; after knowing him for nearly a year, he knew how to tell by miniscule signs like a lip twitch that Derek was feeling strong emotions. " Now, hold my arm, and hold still."

Stiles nodded, grabbing his left arm tightly and closed his eyes once he saw the lighter blaze to life. That's when the blistering, shocking pain hit him, burning from his clavicle and into his left hand. He arched his back and pulled his legs toward him, trying to get away, but he couldn't pass out either. He wouldn't let himself do that.

"Okay, I'm done. I'm done." Derek insisted, pulling away as Stiles took deep, ragged breaths. He couldn't handle the bullet being pulled out, it would kill him. He wouldn't survive that.

"Please don't...pull the...bullet out..." He begged, still panting from the rush of what happened and the pungent scent of burnt flesh that had just now hit him. He couldn't do that again.

"I'm not going to." Derek spoke in an assuring tone, and he watched as the older man reached into the first aid kit before kneeling beside him again. "I'm gonna clean it and bandage it; I've got food, water and clothes down here so you can change, and then I'll drive you back to Beacon Hills. Sound good?"

'Home.' Stiles thought to himself. 'God, I miss all of them. Home will be nice.' Before verbalizing as Derek gently started to clean the wound. It stung, obviously, but it was no where near as bad as what had transpired minutes ago. "Sounds great, but do we have an exit point that's not guarded and surrounded?"

"I think so." Derek spoke softly, which didn't exactly assure Stiles, but if all else failed, he was a quick thinker, he could come up with something. He was snapped away from his thoughts when Derek asked. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

That's when the slight throbbing from the cut in his head came back, seemingly screaming at Derek to see it. "They knocked me out pretty hard. I think it's just a cut though since I haven't had any other concussion symptoms."

"You should still be checked for one."

"A cut isn't a concussion, and I haven't had a single headache since they've taken me. I'm completely fine." Stiles insisted, seeing the fear in Derek's light green eyes. His human eyes. That made him break. "But if it'll make you feel better, you can check."

"Follow my finger." Stiles did as he was told. Derek had risked his ass to save him, he might as well accept the extended care that he was getting. "I think you're okay." He spoke a few minutes later before wrapping the bandages around the wound. It felt good not to worry about looking down and seeing the burnt flesh with a circle of congealed blood in the middle.

"Thank you, for saving me." Stiles swallowed, hearing and feeling just how dry his throat was. 'Did Monroé even give you water?' He asked himself, but he couldn't remember for the life of him since everything just kinda squashed together and his brain was a mess without his meds.

"You would've done it for me."

"Would I?" Stiles tried to joke, and it must've been the pure exhaustion that made them both chuckle at just how lame that joke was. Derek walked over to the stacks of...everything and put the first aid kit up and grabbed a water bottle. He had never been so happy to see a water bottle in his life, but he could've lived without Derek opening it and tilting it against his lips, even if his throat felt so much better after it.

"Get some rest, then we'll go home." Derek spoke with a firm, but soft, voice as he put the water bottle down. But Stiles could see the dark circles under his eyes and the slightly shaggy beard he was now sporting.

"You too. You look rough."

"I'm not the one who was kidnapped-" Derek started, but Stiles cut him off. He didn't wanna hear his self-sacrificial bullshit after everything that had happened.

"Don't do that. You've probably been driving for god knows how long, and before that you were tracking me down. Get some rest before you drive me back to California."

"We'll take shifts." Derek compromised before adding. "Although I highly doubt the hunters will come in here, Monroé might get angry enough. You first, sleep. "

Stiles rolled his eyes, but the compromise was better then nothing, and his head and shoulder were starting to throb as the adrenaline finally started to fall; he settled in on his right side, putting his left arm on top of the blanket, before finally allowing the darkness to overtake him.


	6. Chapter 6

Derek sat quietly for about twenty minutes on the cold ground. The only sound he could hear was Stiles' breathing, which while slightly labored, was mostly even and calm.

He knew he had to make sure that they still had a secure point of exit so he could take him back to Beacon Hills, but he didn't feel comfortable leaving him by himself; Stiles had the beginnings of FBI training under his belt, but he was injured and his left arm was basically useless.

'He's gonna get worse if he stays down here.' Derek thought to himself, trying to weigh the pros and cons in his head. 'that bullet is either gonna give him some sort of metal poisoning or the burn and the entrance wound are gonna get infected. And it'll be your fault. Another death on your hands.'

He knew what he had to do; he grabbed Stiles' long dead phone and pocketed it before pulling a blank check and a small pen out of his wallet. He wrote, 'had to secure an exit, be back soon. Food and water should be easy to open with one hand.'

He put the piece of paper on the ground, just beside where Stiles was before standing up; he contemplated taking the pistol with him, but ended up leaving it where he could see it. He had claws and fangs, and Stiles had one functioning arm.

And with that, he started making his way out of the tunnels. His goal was to make sure he could get to the car and try to charge Stiles' phone, he didn't have a charger but he did have an aux cord and a outlet, turn it on and call the sheriff so he could get reinforcements for the hunters.

It was too much to risk to drive through them all trying to kill him while Stiles was injured, that much he knew for sure.

He started to repeat the plan in his head as he shifted into a full wolf. It'd be easier that way to get to the car, since he doubted any of the hunters knew that he could do that.

Derek trotted a few yards to the car and shifted back to human before sneaking into the door and climbing into the driver's seat.

"Come on..." He whispered, plugging the phone into the console. This had to work, he had to get Stiles to a hospital.

The phone flickered to life and he knew that it was too risky to make a call since he could see two hunters were starting to walk toward the car.

He sent a quick text and as soon as it sent, he unplugged the phone which died almost immediately before jumping out of the car, fangs bared and claws out, roaring as the rushed toward him with their guns out.

He dodged bullets swiftly and started to go towards them as one of them moved fast, kicking his legs out from under him.

Derek fell on his back and heard a gun click, but he couldn't move. All he could think was 'Stiles is going to die.' He closed his eyes and that's when he heard screams from the hunters.

His eyes flew open, and he saw a woman rush in front of him; she was covered in dirt, her clothes were rags and her sword swished faster then lightning as she hit the guns out of their hands before hitting them with the sword, bringing them to their knees.

She walked over to him and helped him to his feet and that's when he got a good look at her face and her eyes. There was no way that this was the quiet and awkward kitsune he had met 2 years ago. "Kira?"

"Good to see you, Derek." She smirked, putting the sword in a handmade sheath attached to her side.

"W-what are you doing here?" He stuttered, trying to take in the fact that Kira had become much more calm, poised and relaxed, but still had that glow around her of youthfulness. 'Did Scott even know she was out here?'

"After you left, during senior year, the fox started to take control over me and I almost hurt a lot of people. My mom eventually brought me to the skinwalkers, who taught me control." Derek had heard about skinwalkers before, the race of shapeshifter who possess the power to take on the shape of different animals, but that was years ago and he had never heard of them taking in a kitsune. "Now that I have control, I keep people here safe and continue to master my abilities, but I could ask you the same question."

"Stiles was kidnapped, by the hunters." Derek spoke quietly, knowing damn well that the unconscious, bleeding hunters knew he was in the tunnels. "He's in the tunnels, and he's hurt, that's why we haven't left yet."

Kira, without a word, grabbed Derek hand roughly and pulled him toward the tunnels as she demanded. "What the hell were you doing up here if he's injured? How bad is it?"

Derek pulled his hand out of her grip, but continued to walk into and through the tunnels. "He had his phone on him, I was sending a message to his dad. He's been a endangered missing person for about a week now." He stopped to make a right turn. "And as for how bad it is, he was shot just above his collarbone."

"Where's everyone else? Scott, Malia, Lydia, Liam?"

"Lydia's at MIT, Malia's in Paris, Scott's at UCLA and Liam's...I actually don't know what Liam is doing. Scott and Stiles' dads all but prohibited them from leaving since we thought they were the target." Derek explained as they stopped at the room and went in; his note and Stiles' water were untouched, as well as Stiles' eyes still being closed, so he pocketed it and put the phone back.

Kira kneeled down beside him and Derek watched as she pulled the bandages away, muttering a curse when she saw it, and Derek had to keep from swearing as well.

The wound was now much more red and inflamed then it had been and it looked like the beginning of an infection was forming around the sides; she put the bandage back over it and looked Derek dead in the eyes as she spoke. "We have to get in contact with his dad, or some sort of law enforcement, now."

But before he could even think of a response, he heard the third voice mutter; quiet, small and frankly, extremely tired as it did so. "Kira?"


	7. Chapter 7

Stiles couldn't believe his eyes. He felt shitty enough to hallucinate, but he doubt it was bad enough to completely make up the fact that Kira was right in front of him.

"Hey." She smiled at him for a brief moment and he watched as she grabbed the water bottle and twisted the cap open.

He saw Derek stand up and go behind him, but before he could react, he was forced into a half sitting position and he felt the pounding fire hit him above the collarbone.

"Oww, shit, that really hurts." Stiles tried to shout, but it came out as a jumbled mess as he tried to shake the stars out of his vision that had popped up when he was sat up.

"Sorry, but the last thing you need is to be dehydrated." Derek reasoned as Kira tipped the water bottle against Stiles' mouth, not giving him a chance to respond.

He wouldn't admit to to Derek, but the water did feel really good against his dry throat.

Kira moved the bottle away shortly after, only letting him get a few sips while insisting, "You shouldn't chug, you'll most likely throw it back up if you do."

Stiles let Derek lower him back down onto his back and he could hear the whispering of Kira and Derek but not only had they moved away, but his head was really starting to hurt and he could barely move his arm without nearly crying out, so he shut his eyes and tried to will the pain away.

"Stiles..."

Stiles turned to face Kira, his eyes hardly open, but he could tell she was saying something important, so he forced his brain to concentrate and try to grasp what she was saying.

"I'm going into town to get help. It's about 20 minutes away, but I'm coming back."

Despite everything, Stiles managed to push himself up. He knew that if she told anyone, the secret would be revealed, and after everything that happened with the Anuk-Ite and the hunters, he knew that people were getting suspicious. "No, t-they'll find out."

Kira came forward and gently pressed him back against the pillows before looking him in the eyes. "I run around half naked with a sword." All three of them let out a chuckle at that, despite the searing pain that ran into Stiles' neck. "They know, and they aren't gonna tell anyone."

"Be safe." Stiles insisted before thinking to himself, 'Scott really misses you.'

He watched Kira hesitate for a split second before motioning Derek to follow her, leaving Stiles slipping back into darkness with one thought, 'I definitely said that out loud.'


	8. Chapter 8

Derek walked away from Stiles with Kira beside him. He could tell that she had found some sort of confidence, her calling, even by the way she held herself. Something had changed with her, she wasn't the same girl that he had known two years ago. And he had a feeling that it had to do with the way she froze when Stiles mentioned Scott.

"I shouldn't be gone long." She told him, running a hand over his face, but he was still trying and failing to detect her chemo signals, so Derek decided to be straightforward.

"What was that? Why did you freeze when Stiles brought up Scott?" The way she moved now reminded him more of the girl he had met, the way she was racking her brain for an answer in a panic, almost like she was trying to think of a lie. "Kira, you can be honest with me."

And she relented. Her body slumped a bit, no longer as tense, before she met his eyes. "I haven't talked to my parents in two years. Do you know what that does to someone?" He did. He knew exactly what that was like. After all, he hadn't talked to his mom in years, much longer then Kira had gone without hers. "To be completely honest, I'm scared to talk to my mom. She wanted me to stay with the skinwalkers, she expected that I would be there for years. I don't think she would believe me if I came home a little over two years later with a handmade sword and said that I had completed my training." She took a breath, clearly relieved. "I just figured he'd move on. After some time, I didn't want to come back and ruin whatever he had done after I left."

Derek's heart ached. He never knew that he would be able to relate to someone as hard as he was now, especially with a kitsune, otherwise known as a pain in the neck by Peter. Then again, Peter thought of everyone as a pain in the neck or a pawn. He stepped forward, gently wrapping her in a hug. He was ready to let go if she wasn't comfortable, but he was relieved when she leaned into his embrace.

Kira had left to control a fox, completely isolated if need be, but he could tell that what she really needed in that moment was a friend. He leaned closer to her ear and spoke softly. "Scott still loves you, Kira. He'll always love you, just as he loves Allison. He doesn't forget."

The moment between them lasted for a bit longer before she broke away and fastened her sheath to her hip, giving him a nod of thanks which he returned before she finally spoke. "Don't let Stiles die."

"I've got him handled. You be careful." He returned, watching her unsheath the sword before making direct eye contact with him.

"I'm always careful."

And with that, she was gone.

After the surprising yet welcome encounter, the former Alpha made his way back to Stiles. After all, Kira could handle herself, and Stiles needed someone to take care of him.

"She left?" Stiles asked quietly, snapping Derek away from his thoughts.

"Yeah, she left." He affirmed before looking over at Stiles' clearly pained face. "How bad is it?"

"Hurts." He mumbled, shutting his eyes.

Derek nodded and gently pealed back the bandages, revealing the swollen and infected wound. It definitely looked the same as earlier, if not worse."Hey, I'm gonna clean this and put new bandages on it." He explained, offering his left hand out to Stiles so he could draw out the pain. Stiles immediately grasped it as he started cleaning the wound.

The room was silent for a few moments and it took until Derek started wrapping the new bandages around his shoulder that Stiles finally spoke. "Derek? I don't wanna die down here."

"You won't. Kira's getting help, you're gonna be okay." He spoke, trying to keep his voice from wavering as he finished. "You should probably eat something."

"Hand me that can of oranges." He insisted, absolutely no hesitation detectable; he grabbed two cans and cracked them open, revealing the syrupy fruit inside.

The pair ate in silence while Derek reflected on his conversation with Kira. Was she really that scared of Noshiko? And the skinwalkers? Did she have anyone after this? Why had she gone rouge?

The thoughts were broken when Stiles started to get up off the ground with very little success due to his arm being bandaged, but it still shot panic into Derek. "Hey, lay back down."

"Can't, muscle atrophy." Stiles insisted.

"What are you talking about?"

"If you lay down for too long, your muscles will...deteriorate."

"That's years, not for a few days. Just relax." Derek begged, grabbing his right arm and pushing him back down all while the heat was starting to make a impact against his calloused hands. "You're getting way too hot."

"Move." Stiles insisted, sitting back up, but before Derek could question why, Stiles turned his head away from Derek and threw up on the ground violently.

Derek immediately jumped into action, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Stiles back. "Breathe."

When he puked again, heaving as he did so, Derek had to grab him to keep him from falling face-first into vomit. There was one more round of clearly painful retching before Stiles swallowed and let out a single, mumbled word.

"Ow."

Derek immediately felt horrible when he saw his hand placement and that his left hand was firmly clamped against Stiles' wound; he let go, gently lowering Stiles against the pillow while muttering apologies, but even if he was upset with him, he was too delirious to accept the apologies.

Derek grabbed a water bottle and some fabric bandages, soaking them in the clean water before draping it against Stiles' burning forehead, filling the silence with some soft humming, a song his mother used to sing to him whenever he couldn't sleep.

"I don't wanna die..." Stiles chocked out, tears in his hazy, open eyes.

"You're not gonna die. Kira will be back soon, and we'll get you some help. You just gotta hang in there." But this time, the reassuring words had no effect on Stiles.

"Derek? I-if I don't make it-"

"You're gonna be fine." Derek cut him off; he didn't want to consider the possibility of losing Stiles. They were so close to getting him home.

"Just let me talk." Stiles snapped, which Derek had to admit shut him up really fast. "Don't let anyone blame themselves. The pack, my dad, even Scott's dad. Promise me, please."

"I promise." Derek nodded, but he knew he wouldn't let it get to that.

And when Stiles shut his eyes, Derek made up his mind. If Kira wasn't back by the next night, he would get Stiles to the hospital himself. No matter the cost.


	9. Chapter 9

She knocked one more hunter out, yelling as she did so, before starting to make her journey towards the town she now called home.

As she walked across the desert, Kira began to think, her new life coming to clash with the old. Seeing Derek and Stiles made the memories she started to forget flood back in waves. The good, the ugly, and the regular Tuesday kind of days. But her new life was good , too. She was thankful for it.

•••

'Well, you have the fox under your control," The skinwalker she had come to know as Tonalli spoke with a confidence in her voice. "but you also know that your mother would never believe you."

"Probably not." Kira sighed, holding up the sword she forged the week before to prove that she was ready. "She loves me, I know that much. But she thinks of me as a child with a long way to go. I think I have to be gone for a bit longer for her to know that I actually mastered my powers."

"So, where are you going to go?"

"Westray, New Mexico." Kira smiled with determination, having prepared this answer for weeks.

"Nice choice. Its a common place for those who have completed their training under skinwalkers to go. Small town that knows about the supernatural and won't question the lack of clothing." The pair chuckled before Tonalli's face went somber. "I will miss you though."

Kira embraced her in a hug, feeling the firm but gentle pair of arms do the same. "I'll miss you too." She let go, and tied her sheath to her waist, shoving the sword inside. "You'll know where I'll be if you need me."

Tonalli nodded, and Kira started walking towards the town that was calling her for protection, safety and hopefully connection.

•••

She took in a deep breath, inhaling the dry air as she walked past the 'Welcome to Westray' sign, not stopping when Nyari, her best friend, called out to her with her nickname she had gained in Westray "Foxy! You're back!" She offered a wave and a smile instead, before returning back to her resting face.

She wanted to run up and hug her friend, but she had to get Stiles help first.

•••

Kira took a deep breath as she entered the town before walking through the road that cut through the set of public buildings.

"Hey, are you new here?" A voice asked, bringing Kira's eyes up to the woman with braided black hair, dark eyes and a bright orange crop top with a pair of black jeans.

"Yeah. I was-"

"A skin walker." The woman cut her off, nodding at her outfit and sword. "The sword is a bit violent for a skinwalker. They usually have spears."

"Not much better." Kira remarked, and the two of them chuckled before she held her hand out. "I'm Kira Yukimura. I'm a kitsune."

"So a fox demon."

"I prefer the term spirit, but yeah."

"Well, foxy. I'm Nyari Idowu." She introduced as she shook her hand. "I'm in that apartment over there. Do you have a place to stay?"

"Its a bit straightforward to immediately ask me to move in with you." Kira remarked. "How do you know I'm not out to get you?"

"Skinwalkers are way too nice to humans to do that unless they get crossed." Nyari remarked. "And I can tell you have a kind spirit, even if you are a demon. But if we're being completely honest, I need help with my rent."

"Alright. Why not?" Kira shrugged and followed the woman to her apartment, but made a mental note to keep her sword close in case things went wrong fast, even if she made her immediately at ease and welcome.

•••

The police station was buzzing as usual with both paranormal and non-paranormal cases, but she wasn't here to admire the hard work, she had to talk to the chief. She strode up to one of the desks and sat down in front of the man, her elbows directly on the desk.

It took until she cleared her throat for him to meet her dark brown eyes with his bright blue ones and she was looking directly at Henry Hoàng, one of the younger cops on the force at age 22.

"Oh boy, Foxy. What trouble have you stirred up now?" He fake groaned while smiling the whole time.

"I need to talk to the chief." Kira insisted, trying to remain serious but the eyes turned her into a flirty mess every single time she saw them.

"Chief Sanders is busy. I'll happily help you fill out a report though." He offered, and she hated turning him down, but she couldn't waste her time with a report.

"It's an emergency, Henry."

"Fine, I'll let her know you're here. Stay here." He smiled softly before getting up and going into the office, filling Kira with butterflies as she recalled the first time she met Henry just a few months ago.

•••

"Someone stole my bike." She insisted to the officer she had never met before as Nyari sat beside her, holding her hand reassuringly the whole time. That bike was her best way of transportation through the town since she had missed out on getting her license in Beacon Hills.

"Okay, we're gonna figure it out." The man with the bright blue eyes insisted softly in a reassuring voice, which helped Kira fill a bit at ease even though she was still panicked. She was also starting to get butterflies in her stomach, but she wouldn't admit that. "What does the bike look like?"

"It's bright blue with silver detailing. It also has a basket attachment that's white."

"And your name is Kira Yukimura?" She nodded in response. "Okay, write your phone number here, we'll post the information around town and call you if we find anything."

She nodded again, and scribbled her phone number before she stood up to leave, Nyari still holding her hand. But as soon as they exited the police station, she let out a giggle. "He was so into you."

"He was just being helpful." Kira brushed it off as they got home.

And if she had a text message from Henry Hoàng that read 'I know its probably illegal to take your phone number off your police report, but I want to get to know you outside of work' when she got home, Nyari didn't have to know.

•••

"Alright, she's ready for you." Henry interrupted her thoughts, but as she stood up to go, he stopped her. "Any chance I'm getting an answer to my offer soon?"

"After I deal with this, you'll get your answer." Kira winked at him before composing herself in a professional manner and opening the door.

"Come on in, Ms. Yukimura. And shut the door behind you, Hoáng said it was an emergency."

"Yes, it is." Kira did as she was told before approaching the tall woman with firey red hair and dark green eyes. "You know the FBI intern who went missing? I know where he is. And he needs help immediately."


	10. Chapter 10

He couldn't wait any longer. The sun was starting to set, and Stiles was deteriorating quickly between the rising fever and the fact he could barely keep water down. Derek had to get Stiles to safety himself.

"Stiles, I gotta get you to a hospital." Derek spoke softly, shaking his good shoulder. "You need to wake up."

"S-scott."

"No, it's Derek." He insisted, knowing it wasn't a good sign that he couldn't tell the obvious difference. "I'm gonna pick you up. It's gonna hurt."

"N-no. Let m-me sleep..."

Derek bit his tongue and shuffled one arm under Stiles' knees and the other one under his shoulders, hearing a mumble of protests but he just held his breath and lifted.

"O-owwww..." Stiles mumbled while leaning his head against Derek's chest, most likely because he couldn't support the weight himself; Derek was prepared for the pain to be too much for Stiles and getting vomit on his shirt, but luckily, he just closed his eyes and slumped against him.

Derek just had to ignore the burning against his chest from Stiles' body. Stiles' pain mixed with his own, his heart aching for the once nuisance he'd come to think of as a brother. And, unlike before, he was not going to have his family die. Not if he could help it.

He started carrying him through the corridors with no other noise other then Stiles' pained breathing, and despite being a werewolf, he felt like he could drop Stiles on the ground, and he still had to run to his car in order to avoid further damage. So, he just did what he had been doing; taking Stiles' pain and pushing on.

They were nearing the entrance as Derek's legs started shaking; Stiles wasn't heavy at all, but the weight was starting to wear him down especially with his head against his chest, but he had to keep taking his pain, even though it was hurting him; if Stiles was gonna die, he wanted him to be as comfortable. But he was gonna keep him alive.

Just as Derek started to think about stopping for a few minutes, he heard a noise that was reassuring for once.

Sirens.

He could have gone limp with relief. Kira had come through, not that he had doubted her, and help was on the horizon. Soon everything would be okay. Stiles would be okay.

Derek forced himself into the light with Stiles in his arms and a few steps onto the sand before crashing to his knees, still holding Stiles, but he finally resented and stopped taking his pain before the EMTs took him out of his arms.

"Sir, I need to know why he's sick." An EMT questioned, giving Derek a orange Gatorade while the others started to work on Stiles. "What happened?"

"They know." Kira's voice hit his ears, and he spilled the truth, the whole truth. How Stiles had been taken by hunters using him as bait for their pack, how when he broke him out, he had been shot and how he had to burn the wolfsbane out of his wound, how when he tried to get cell service, he was nearly killed.

"Okay, we're gonna take it from here." The EMT told him and the ambulance left, leaving Derek on the ground looking up at Kira and an Asian man in a police uniform.

"Are you okay?" Kira spoke with obvious concern in her voice as she gripped Derek's hand, helping him to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just tired." Derek nodded, putting the Gatorade bottle in his pocket, unable to hide his pounding concern. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"They said that if they can get the bullet out and the infection under control, he'll make a full recovery." Kira relayed to him, and he nodded, absorbing the information before nodding his head upward at the man. "Oh, Derek, this is officer Henry Hoáng. Henry, this is Derek Hale."

"Nice to meet you, officer Hoáng." Derek shook his hand, but felt pretty exhausted already, so it wasn't his normal firm grip. "I should probably call Stiles' dad, he's a law enforcement officer in California."

"Yeah, I'll give you an escort." Hoáng nodded, and started to walk to his car.

"Kira?" Derek asked, getting her attention. "You wanna ride in my car?"

"I'm gonna ride with Henry." Kira smiled when she said his name, and he knew exactly what was going on. She was obviously head over heels.

"Go."

And with that, Derek turned to his car and turned the key, letting out a breath of relief when he didn't see any sign of Monroé or the others before following the lead of police car, and once he saw the cell towers, he turned on Stiles' phone and clicked the contact labeled 'Dad'.

"Sheriff? I found him. He's alive."


	11. Chapter 11

The tension in the ER waiting room could be cut with a knife. Kira, Derek and Henry were waiting for the Sheriff to arrive, and Kira watched as Derek grew more and more nervous the more time Stiles was in surgery. While he didn't verbalize it, she could see his foot tapping on the ground faster and faster.

She was also nervous. The infection had not looked good at all when she saw it, and despite his best efforts, she knew that Derek couldn't have done much, if anything, to stop it, and her heart was still racing from seeing the hunters disappear into the distance as the cops rushed forward to the men. They would be back. They definitely would be back.

She felt a hand on hers. It was soft, and warm, but much bigger then hers.

Henry.

She looked up at him and smiled; something about him just made everything melt away except the fluttery feeling in her stomach, and she didn't want to let it go.

That's when the door to the waiting room burst open, and her heart jumped into her throat.

Because yes, Noah was there, along with Lydia and Malia. But among them, there he was. The person she thought she'd never see again.

Scott.

She couldn't believe it. Then, as if sensing her, their eyes locked. "Kira?"

"Hey, Scott." She spoke as she stood up, leaving Henry behind her and accepting the hug he had offered. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, it has." He spoke softly, seemingly entranced with her, and whether it was her change in appearance, or the fact he hadn't seen her in two years.

The rest of the reunions between her, Malia and Lydia went by in a blur, as well as giving a rundown on what happened to spare Derek from doing it more then he had to. In fact, her brain was still on autopilot when Scott came back to her and asked.

"Kira? Can we talk?"

She nodded, and the two walked down a hall into a more secluded area of the hospital. She really hoped he was gonna do the talking cause she had no idea what she would say to him. What do you say to someone after everything that happened?

That's when he brought her out of her thoughts.

"So, are you okay? I mean, you're here, alive, so... stupid question, maybe. But, are you okay? How have you been?"

"I'm okay. I missed you guys a lot, but I'm okay." She smiled at him, seeing the look she saw in his eyes back when they were teenagers; the look of concern he always had back then, but also a look that almost seemed like...amazement, like he was proud of her. "I have the fox under control, I have friends, and I'm happy. I'm really, really happy."

"I'm glad to hear it. All I ever wanted for you, for all of my friends, is to be happy." He spoke quietly, looking in her eyes. She could see deep in his eyes, and how much he cared. How much he had always cared in everything he did or said. It was so prevalent now. "Can you catch me up? On everything?"

And she did. She told him about everything. About the skinwalkers, about coming to a town known as a supernatural refuge, about how she was helping the cops now, and about Henry and Nyari.

But the whole time, all she could think about how she needed to tell him, that they couldn't get back together. How she couldn't even come back to Beacon Hills. But, once again, he beat her to the chase.

"I'm dating Malia now, and even though it's long distance cause she's going to college in Paris, I'm happy with her. But, I'm going to school at UC Davis, and Lydia's going to school at MIT. So going back to Beacon Hills probably isn't the best idea. You can if you want, but you seem happy here. And I wouldn't want to take that away from you."

"I'm really glad you said that." Kira smiled, having to keep the comment about them being in sync to herself. "I was about to tell you that I don't want to come back. Like, I'd love to hang out with you, and everyone else, but I'm happy here."

Scott nodded, and gently pulled her towards him, engulfing her in a hug. Kira leaned against his chest, taking in the scent of Barbosol shaving cream and dial soap. He hadn't changed a bit.

They pulled away, and Scott walked back to the waiting room, leaving Kira's sight. But before she followed him back to the waiting room, that's when she felt a tap on her shoulder, so she turned and felt her stomach get fluttery when she saw Henry.

"Hey, Foxy."

"Hey."

"So, this is probably a bad time, but..." Henry put his hand behind his head as he trailed off. "Do you have a answer to my offer?"

Kira nodded, finally gaining the courage to walk forward and standing on her tiptoes, pressed a kiss to his lips. "Yes, I'll go on a date with you."


	12. Chapter 12

As he started to wake up, Stiles held back a groan at the all-too familiar brightness, noise and strong smells. He was in a hospital. Again.

That was one of the reasons he was excited to be in San Francisco, less hospitals because less supernatural...things.

He bent his neck downward and to the side, trying to see his collarbone and seeing if the gunshot wound was still as bad, but whether that was the pain medication flowing in in veins, or the fact that he wasn't in a dark cave on his deathbed, that was to be determined.

He pushed himself upwards, trying to get a better look at his wound. It made his head pound and his blood rush to his feet; he swallowed, trying not to throw up from the sudden nausea and dizziness and that's when the door opened; In the midst of his predicament, Stiles heard the one voice he had been aching to hear.

"Stiles?"

He had never been so happy to see his dad, despite the fact his vision was spinning and he was feeling increasingly sick. He ran over and gently lowered Stiles back against the pillows. "Just get some rest, kiddo."

"Is everyone okay? Kira, Derek, they're all okay?" Stiles swallowed down the nausea, trying to process anything that had happened since he saw Kira, but it was all blurry. "No one else is hurt?"

"The only person who is hurt is you. Your arm is pretty injured, and you're still running a fever."

Stiles nodded, taking everything in. That's when he decided what he needed to know most. "Is Derek here still?"

"Yeah, he's still here." Noah nodded, reaching a hand up and running a hand through Stiles', what he could imagine, extremely dirty, hair. "Do you want me to get him?"

Stiles nodded and his dad squeezed his hand gently before disappearing through the door, leaving Stiles along again with his thoughts. The only thing he could think about was if Derek was okay and while his father had assured him that he was indeed okay, his brain was still so fuzzy that he needed to see him to believe it.

Thankfully, his thoughts did not have enough time to spiral, because he soon heard footsteps, and Derek came in.

"Oh, thank god." Stiles sighed in relief when he saw him, despite the fact he was as was, if not even more, in need in a shower then he was. "You're alive."

"I could say the same thing about you." Derek smiled at him, clearly in relief, but Stiles could tell something was holding him back from fully expressing himself.

"If you want to give me a hug, you can. I won't ruin your bad boy cred." He chuckled, but was nearly shocked out of his skin when Derek raced forward and wrapped his arms around him. Stiles had no way to respond other then giving Derek the hug he so desperately wanted.

"I'm okay, Derek."

"I know, I just..." He trailed off, pulling out of the hug, "I cannot lose more of my family."

"You're not going to lose me."

"I thought I was. I didn't want to tell you, but I thought you were going to die in that cave."

Stiles swallowed harshly as the nausea filled in the pit of his stomach once again, only it wasn't because he had sat up too fast, but instead because he had caused Derek so many problems, only because he was tricked into leaving his truck.

Almost as if he could see the wheels of negativity and self-blame turning inside his head, even though it was probably just chemo signals, Derek stopped Stiles' destructive train of thought.

"It was not your fault, Stiles," he paused, reaching for Stiles' hand, which he gladly took while letting out a shuddering breath as all the emotions (and probably the medications) started to catch up with him, "Even if we all have to drill it into your head, it was not your fault." He started to speak, trying to explain exactly why all of this was his fault, but Derek cut him off. "No, you're not allowed to fight with me on this, cause it is not your fault."

Stiles conceded with a nod, despite the fact he knew it was his fault, but the guilt was being over taken by the need for sleep; luckily, Derek seemed to notice too and gently squeezed his hand. "Get some sleep. I'm staying here."

"I-is Lydia here?" He asked, trying to stay awake for a few more moments. "Is she worried?" The last thing he wanted was for Lydia to be worried about him.

"Yeah, she's here. You can talk to her when you wake up. Sleep." Derek insisted, shutting off the lamp beside his eyes which definitely made him more exhausted and he let himself drift off into blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end! I hope you guys liked this one and continue to stick around for more to come!


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